After baby #1 I decided I need to do things differently when it comes to baby food. I didn't know a whole lot about making homemade baby food (or how cheap and easy it is), and resorted to buying the baby food pouches at the store. The baby food pouches cost more than the jars, but I loved them because my baby seemed to eat everything that came in them! When I found out reusable baby food pouches were available on the market, I got really excited to try making homemade baby food!
Little one (16-months) mostly eats what we eat for meals, but we are on the road a lot so I wanted to make some homemade baby food to put in pouches for when we are in the car. I was super excited to try out the Fresh FoodsCook-n-Blend Baby Food maker as it made my preparations super simple (it also has amazing reviews on Amazon)! I like that it steams, mashes, purees and defrosts all in one machine. There are two blend levels depending on the age of your baby and whether you want the baby food to have a smooth or chunky texture. I tried a veggie-apple mix first, and then an fruit/oatmeal mixture. The biggest preparation I had was to cut up my fruits/veggies and then press the steam button. The baby food maker comes with a recipe book that also has a “cook time chart” for all the different fruits and vegetables so you know how long to steam them.
**UPDATE: The Fresh Foods Baby Food Maker is discontinued. A good alternative is the Magic BulletBaby(cheaper but does not steam food)or the BEABA Baby Food Maker(very similar to the Fresh Foods, and highly rated).
I like that it has two separate baskets to cook your baby food in, so that if you are cooking vegetables with different cooking times, you can separate them. Genius!
Makes the process of making baby food super simple
Small Appliance-doesn't take up too much space
It's so much healthier to steam your own baby food than to buy it in the jars at the store!
Can make up to 4 meals in ashortsteam session
There is an up-front cost to buy it, but it's still much more cost-effective than buying baby food
Easy to wash
Multiple texture options, double steamer basket, and dishwasher safe
Next thing on my list is to get the Infantino Squeeze station. My sister LOVES hers and I was jealous of all her neatly filled and dated food pouches. Here's how it works:
Homemade Baby Food Storage Tips:
Frozen: There are a variety of opinions about how long frozen baby food keeps in the freezer, but most say to use it before 3 months time. The reason it does not last as long as regular frozen fruits and vegetables is because the food is not frozen in its original form (it has been cooked).
refrigerated: Up to 48 hours
Glass Jars: If you would rather freeze your baby food in glass jars, make sure and buy ones especially for freezer use (do not use empty Gerber or other baby food jars as they are not made for freezing).
Extra Tip: You can freeze fruits and vegetables, use them in homemade baby food recipes, and then re-freeze the baby food that you have made. You should not however, use frozen fruits and vegetables that have been cooked, and then freeze them again. In other words, once something has been cooked, it should only be frozen once.
This is my daughter's favorite and is the most simple. If you have the baby food maker all you have to do is chop up the sweet potato and press the steam button! If you don't, wash your sweet potato, poke it several times with a fork and put it in the oven (375°) for about 45 min-to and hour depending on the size of the sweet potato. Peel of the skin and mash it up with a fork. Easiest baby food around!
Apple-Banana-Blueberry-Oatmeal
This one is a fun breakfast blend. I steam one one apple with about 1/4 cup water and then blend with 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 banana, and some baby oatmeal.
Banana-Avacado
This is another very simple recipe: Peel both the banana and the avocado and mash them together.
Here are a couple of recipes from the Fresh Food's Baby Maker:
You might find your very young baby has an easier time holding fresh green beans, which tend to be longer than their frozen or canned counterparts. But nutritionally speaking, fresh, frozen or canned green beans are all great choices.
Can babies have canned peas? Yes.Just look for cans marked “no salt added” or “low-sodium,” when possible, since many canned peas have levels of sodium in excess of baby's needs.
If you're introducing your little one to solids, the baby food should be thin and easy to swallow. Get the right consistency by adding 1 or 2 teaspoons of water, breast milk, or formula to the recipe. Older infants can generally handle baby food with thicker consistencies.
Remove skin from chicken or fish. Step 2: steam, microwave or boil the foods until soft and cooked. Set aside some of the cooking liquids. Step 3: puree or mash food, adding cooking liquid if needed.
Start with one food at a time and select foods that are nutritious and easy to mash such as bananas, avocados, peaches, mangoes, plums, grapes, potatoes and butternut squash. If your baby responds well to these, advance to other nutritious foods such as asparagus, kale, ground chicken, or quinoa.
Foods like bran, beans, cabbage, and whole grains are fiber-rich; therefore, these particular foods, though fantastic for a balanced diet, can lead to gas. Though fiber-heavy foods can potentially help alleviate constipation, they are also a likely cause of gas for both a mama and her little one.
Avocado, banana, yogurt, rice and oatmeal are great and ready to go as a baby foods in their natural state. Beyond that, puree whatever YOU cook and give them small amounts of your own wholesome cooking.
Which types of tomatoes are suitable for babies? The NHS includes canned or tinned chopped tomatoes in their recipes for babies aged six months and up, so it's fine to use tomatoes from a tin or a can in your baby's meals. Cherry tomatoes are easier to offer to babies on their own, either mashed or as a finger food.
You can use canned vegetables, but they may contain more sodium (salt) than fresh or frozen. If you use them, rinse them before you mash them. This helps wash away some of the sodium. Use “no salt added” or “less sodium” canned vegetables when available.
But if your child has a rare allergy called food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES), the reaction may not happen until a few hours after they eat. Unlike other food allergies, this one won't make your child wheeze, break out in hives, or get a rash. Instead, they may vomit or get diarrhea.
Pureed store-bought meat, poultry, or fish can be refrigerated for 24 hours after cooking and frozen for 1 to 2 months. Homemade baby foods will keep for 24 to 48 hours in the refrigerator and for 1 to 2 months in the freezer.
My main finding, then, is that it is certainly cheaper to make baby food at home. In fact, in doing so, I reduced my bill by a third. In so many ways the homemade week was better. Not only was it cheaper, the food was more appetising than the ready-made options.
Yes, you may find several benefits to feeding your baby homemade foods. It can be less expensive than store bought, for example. It can let your child enjoy baby-friendly versions of foods they see the rest of the family eating. And it may be easier than you think.
Healthy Babies Bright Futures' new study tested if homemade baby food is better than store-bought. The troubling answer? Both were contaminated: 94% of both baby foods and homemade and “family” brands tested were contaminated with one or more of four toxic heavy metals.
You may need to add some fluid (e.g. formula, breast milk, fruit juice, water or cooking water) to make it the right consistency. Foods to Use: Choose high-quality fresh (preferred), frozen or canned vegetables, fruits and meats.
Introduction: My name is Mrs. Angelic Larkin, I am a cute, charming, funny, determined, inexpensive, joyous, cheerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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